8 winners (and 3 losers) from the Chiefs' overtime escape in Week 2

Nothing like a close game to raise the ol' blood pressure.

The Kansas City Chiefs welcomed the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday Night Football for a primetime game that came with all the emotions already stored in the experience. The offense was thrilling yet maddening. The defense brought about one sorrowful layer after another. The spectrum of responses to special teams ranged from resignation to anger. And of course, there's also the joy of an overtime victory.

If anything, the Chiefs 33-30 win over the Colts in Week 2 was memorable, and that leads to a lot of winners (and some losers) in our review of the night.

Winner: Kenneth Walker

The Chiefs are already at one-third of their win total from all of last season. They have a real edge in the AFC West after two weeks. And they're averaging over 30 points per game in the process, largely because Kenneth Walker is every bit the catalyst that he was signed to be. The Chiefs' three-year deal for Walker already looks a bit like a bargain after a few months, and Walker's on-field impact was actually undersold despite an offseason's worth of headlines.

Walker had 30 touches for 178 yards and is showing much greater effectiveness in the passing game than was initially advertised. Even with those gaudy numbers, the Chiefs could have leaned on him even more on Sunday. Walker is putting up eye-popping totals through two weeks, Walker is on pace for more than 3,100 yards from scrimmage. Yes, that number starts with a three.

Winner: Patrick Mahomes

Mahomes in MVP form was an annual sighting before the '25 season, but a season-ending injury will make a fan base appreciate what they have more than before, so to see the Chiefs' superstar quarterback back in the conversation for the league's best player is something special. Against the Colts, he threw 3 touchdown passes, kept a wide array of pass catchers involved, and looked like stories of torn knee ligaments were just tall offseason tales.

Winner: Nohl Williams

That's two stellar performance from Nohl Williams in the first two weeks of the Chiefs' season. What began as an exciting debut in his second season has turned into an early Pro Bowl campaign, as national audiences have gotten an up-close look at just how instinctive and physical Williams looks in Steve Spagnuolo's defense. It wasn't a pretty night for the secondary overall against Daniel Jones and Jonathan Taylor, but Williams was a heat-seeking missile with one memorable stop after another.

Winner: Travis Kelce

Coming into the '26 season, fans were hoping that Kelce would be able to stave off the aging process enough to turn in a strong season as a secondary target for a returning Mahomes. Instead, he's led the Chiefs in receiving yards in both games so far, including his first 100-yard game since the '24 postseason. Kelce finished the night with 9 catches, 101 yards, and 1 touchdown and proved that the historic chemistry between him and Mahomes is as effective as ever.

Winner: Tyquan Thornton

If you're sensing a "winning" theme from the team's offensive players, you'd be right. But we can't stop our run through the night's winners without acknowledging Tyquan Thornton's incredible step forward for the Chiefs' vertical attack. Thornton came up with multiple deep balls on critical downs to move the chains when K.C. needed it most. After receiving a single target (with zero catches) in Week 1, Thornton finally got the greater offensive share he asked for this offseaon with 4 catches for 86 yards versus the Colts.

Loser: Xavier Worthy

At this point, it's becoming harder and harder to believe that Xavier Worthy is going to turn the corner and reward the Chiefs' first-round investment in him. On Sunday night, Worthy's inability to come down with a contested catch, beat opponents with his speed, or make anyone miss despite his elite speed were all on display. It's frustrating knowing that the tools are there, but it just looks like an odd fit for everyone involved.

Winner: Khyiris Tonga

Dontari Poe was a lot of fun to watch a decade ago (or more) as a strong defensive tackle who sometimes got to have some fun on offense. That Tonga is being folded in as an occasional fullback, who even got his first carry, on Sunday is a joy for fans to watch as well. We need him to stay fresh for his primary duties up front, but we're also here for the occasional offensive surprise

Loser: L'Jarius Sneed

Look, we love L'Jarius Sneed around here. Not only was he an exemplary lockdown corner on championship teams but the fire he brings on the defensive side is a necessary spark for a young secondary coalescing in real time. That Sneed is even playing is heartening after watching him miss so much time with knee/quad injuries in recent years. But on Sunday, the Colts challenged Sneed in coverage (and won), which is part of a game plan that allowed them to keep up with the Chiefs high-octane offense. Gotta wonder how much PT he'll get as Mansoor Delane gets healthy.

Winner / Loser: Kristian Fulton

Did any other player on either team endure more of a roller coaster night than Kristian Fulton? The Chiefs cornerback not only came up with one of the season's best defensive plays, but he was also flagged twice for two very important pass interference calls that seriously helped the Colts' offense. Fulton should know better than to grab a player's jersey with the ball in the air. That one is on him. But another PI call was egregious. But the real story was Fulton's first-quarter interception that deserves to be watched again (and again). That's grown-man effort. We'll just put the highlight below while acknowledging him as both winner and loser.

Winner: Derrick Johnson

The Chiefs inducted DJ into the Ring of Honor on Sunday at halftime, making him perhaps the biggest winner of all on the night. A former first-round pick in the 2005 draft, Johnson turned into one of the single greatest tacklers in team history and was a two-time All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowler. That he has become such an incredible civic hero doing important work through his Defend the Dream Foundation for youth literacy and more is the cherry on top.

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